In home entertainment, it is common to have an entertainment center which includes a variety of individual components, including such components as a television (TV), cable television channel selection box, video cassette recorder (VCR), compact disc player, phonograph, record player, AM/FM receiver, and/or an audio cassette player. It is also common to have separate remote control units which operate these components from a remote location, without physically contacting the corresponding component other than via a connecting cable, or, if of the wireless type now more prevalent, without having any connecting wiring between the remote control unit and the component.
Conventional remote control units include a plurality of pressure-or touch-sensitive switches arranged into a type of miniature keyboard. When one of these switches has been activated (normally by manually pressing them) the remote control emits a coded triggering beam signal which, if of the cable-connected type, is conducted via the cable connection to the associated controlled component. If the remote control unit is of the wireless type, the control signal is transmitted via modulated beam of radiant wave energy, usually infra-red, being directed toward the home entertainment center. The corresponding component receives this beam and electronically converts the coded signal to an instruction to vary an operating characteristic of the entertainment center (for example, a television may be turned on or off). If a different switch is pressed, a different coded signal is emitted, and a different operating characteristic of the component may be altered (for example, a television channel).
Some entertainment centers, although composed of individual components, may be operated from a single remote control unit. However, a large majority of entertainment centers are composed of components obtained from a variety of manufacturers, of each which uses a different remote control coding system. Therefore, it may be necessary to have one remote control unit to control a television, a different remote control unit to control a video cassette recorder, and yet a different remote control unit to control a pay cable channel selection box. This is a disadvantageous inconvenience to the operator of the entertainment center.
It has been known to place two of such remote control units "back-to-back", such that the keyboard portions of the two units are outwardly and oppositely facing, yet the control beam emitting lenses are commonly oriented, and to wrap an elastic band around the resulting cluster. This allows the operator of the clustered combination to operate either of the two units by simply inverting the cluster and operating the desired remote control unit. However, this configuration is only suitable for a combination of two remote control units. Furthermore, when the cluster is placed on a tabletop, desk, etc., there is a risk that the switches on the downwardly-facing remote control unit will inadvertently be triggered, and if the unit is dropped, the switches or other elements of the unit may be damaged.
In an effort to alleviate these problems, numerous holders have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to store and support various kinds of TV and VCR remote controls. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,660,792; 4,712,693 and 4,739,897, and certain of the references cited therein, are illustrative of such prior art.
However, there is still a need for a holder device of this type which will allow a plurality of remote control units to be easily stored and conveniently oriented for operation from a central location, without the risk of inadvertent triggering of the units, and which, as compared to such prior art, is structurally simpler, less costly to manufacture and more versatile for expanded usages. There is also a need for such a holder which is universal in capacity for a variety of different size remote control units, and also multi-functional to serve a variety of other tasks ancillary to enjoyment of a home entertainment center.